pullback

noun

pull·​back ˈpu̇l-ˌbak 

: a pulling back

especially : an orderly withdrawal of troops from a position or area

Synonyms of pullback

• withdrawal
• retreat

Examples of pullback in a Sentence

a pullback in consumer spending

the pullback was necessary so that the commanders could reorganize their units and reassess the situation

Recent Examples on the Web

Even a 10% pullback in capex flips that to a $74 billion surplus; a 20% pullback puts them more than $200 billion in the black. — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Strategist Savita Subramanian pointed out that the S & P 500 has only suffered one 5% pullback in 2026. — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026

PayPal has many middle-income customers and some lower-income customers, so a pullback in spending affects use of its payments platform. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pullback

• aback
• attack
• backpack
• backtrack
• bareback
• blackjack
• brownback
• buyback
• callback
• cognac
• comeback
• cutback